News - Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School

Daniel Schrag to Direct Belfer Center's Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program

| September 16, 2015

Cambridge, MA – The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs has named Daniel Schrag, Sturgis Hooper Professor of Geology and Director of the Center for the Environment at Harvard University, to lead its Science, Technology, and Public Policy program. STPP, one of Harvard's most collaborative and cross-disciplinary programs, is renowned world-wide for its cutting-edge research on technology innovation, nuclear non-proliferation and safety, climate science and policy, cybersecurity, and globalization and development.

Schrag succeeds other science and technology giants who have led the program, including most recently Venkatesh (Venky) Narayanamurti, who founded Harvard's John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and John P. Holdren, who serves as President Obama's science advisor.

"It's difficult to overstate the role of science and technology today in driving world affairs," said Director Graham Allison. "Thanks to the pioneering work of John and Venky, the STPP program is uniquely positioned to help policymakers face major challenges from climate change to the proliferation of nuclear or biological weapons, and seize opportunities from feeding a rising Africa to generating essential energy without despoiling the environment. With his exceptional creativity and proven experience in the worlds of policy and government on the one hand, and research and teaching on the other, Dan is exactly the kind of leader STPP needs to extend its success into new realms."

"It is a great honor to follow in the footsteps of such distinguished leaders in science and technology policy," said Schrag.  "Our program will continue to foster new conversations on the many ways that science and technology are driving changes in our society, from energy to the Internet, and how public policies can be designed to manage those changes. It is a very special opportunity to connect scientists and engineers with the thought leaders from the Belfer Center and the Kennedy School more broadly."

A Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering in addition to his primary appointment in Earth and Planetary Sciences, Schrag studies climate and climate change over the broadest range of Earth history as well as energy technology and policy. He is particularly interested in how information on climate change from the geologic past can lead to better understanding of anthropogenic climate change in the future.

Schrag serves on President Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Among various honors, he is the recipient of the James B. Macelwane Medal from the American Geophysical Union and a MacArthur Fellowship. Schrag earned a B.S. in geology and geophysics and political science from Yale University and his Ph.D. in geology from the University of California at Berkeley. He came to Harvard in 1997 after teaching at Princeton.

For more information on this publication: Belfer Communications Office
For Academic Citation:Daniel Schrag to Direct Belfer Center's Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program.” News, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, September 16, 2015.

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